Adele has revealed that ‘Hello’ was written to her younger self, and fans on TikTok are freaking out

For years now, many of us will likely have thought that like with many of her hit songs, Adele’s ‘Hello’ lyrics were about an ex. We’re so used to hearing Adele sing about her past loves and heartbreaks, that it can be difficult to imagine the words to her most famous tunes are about anything but. 

However, it was recently revealed that ‘Hello’ is not written to a former lover, or anybody else in fact; it is sung by Adele, to her own self. 

In a preview for her Oprah interview which aired over in the U.S. in November, the star revealed the news, explaining: 

“The song, to me, was the beginning of me trying to find myself. And I hadn’t figured out yet what it was that I had to do for that.

“When I wrote it, it was a real ode to like, little me, older me, all of these things. It’s just a song about, like, I’m still here.” 

She continued, raising her hand: “Hi! I’m still here. I still exist in every aspect of my life.” 

The Oprah special also featured a pre-taped performance filmed in Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory, as well as the sit-down interview. Along with newer hits from her new album ‘30,’ Adele performed ‘Hello,’ which was the opening track. “The show’s the first time that I’m singing [“Hello”] from where I am now, which I think is great,” she told Oprah beforehand. 

Unsurprisingly, Adele’s legion of fans are going wild with the knowledge that her bestselling track is written to her younger self, which gives the song a new meaning and depth entirely. 

Those on TikTok especially can’t get enough, with fans posting videos in their hundreds. 

“I could never relate to this song until I realized Adele wrote it to her younger self and not an ex,” wrote mundaiguess, while yeslydimate added: “no bc it’s hitting different knowing this was actually written to herself.”

The hashtag #adelehello has over 23 million videos attached to it on TikTok, including many of users taping themselves listening to the song with their new perspective. 

Adele’s Oprah interview is yet to air in the UK, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it will be available here soon.